Delhi to Jaipur for International Travellers: Train, Car, Flight or Bus?

Short answer: Jaipur is about 270–280 km south-west of Delhi. Most international visitors take the 06:10 Ajmer Shatabdi train from New Delhi station, which reaches Jaipur at 10:35, or hire a private car with driver, which takes 3.5–5 hours on the newer expressway route. Flights take about an hour in the air but four hours door to door, and the AC bus is the budget choice.

How far is Jaipur from Delhi, and how long does it take?

Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan and the third corner of the Golden Triangle with Delhi and Agra, is about 270–280 km from central Delhi by road (The Tribune puts the trip at about 270 km). The air distance is about 233 km.

The time it takes depends more on getting out of Delhi than on the distance. A train that leaves at dawn avoids the traffic altogether. A car leaving south Delhi at 07:00 is usually on the open road within an hour. The same car leaving at 09:00 from Old Delhi can lose two hours before the city is behind it.

Exchange rates in this guide use ₹94.70 to the US dollar (USD/INR close on 22 October 2026, Pound Sterling Live). Treat every dollar figure as approximate.

Delhi to Jaipur at a glance: which option suits you?

Train times are from the IRCTC-based timetables on ConfirmTkt and RailMitra, checked on 23 October 2026. Indian Railways changes timetables a few times a year, so confirm on your ticket.

Is the train the best way from Delhi to Jaipur?

For most first-time visitors, yes. The 12015 Ajmer Shatabdi leaves New Delhi station (NDLS), near Connaught Place, at 06:10 every day and reaches Jaipur Junction at 10:35. You arrive with the whole afternoon free for the old city, and Jaipur Junction is a 10–15 minute drive from most hotels.

The Shatabdi has two classes. CC (Chair Car) is a reclining air-conditioned seat. EC (Executive Chair Car) is a wider seat in a 2+2 layout. Meals are optional and chosen at booking. Luggage goes on overhead racks or behind the last row, so large suitcases are awkward but manageable.

Two other trains work well for visitors:

• 26482 Vande Bharat Express: Delhi Cantt 15:10, Gurgaon 15:24, Jaipur 19:00. It runs six days a week, with no service on Tuesday (Patrika, 24 September 2025, when the service launched; ConfirmTkt timetable checked 23 October 2026). It suits travellers staying near the airport or in Gurgaon.
• 12986 Double Decker: Delhi Sarai Rohilla 17:25 → Jaipur 22:00, daily, with CC and EC seats. Choose it if you want a full day in Delhi first and don’t mind a late check-in.

Booking as a foreigner: you can register on the IRCTC website with an international mobile number, and the Foreign Tourist Quota sets aside a small number of seats on popular trains. From October to March, CC and EC seats on the morning Shatabdi often sell out a week or more ahead. If you are flexible, book as soon as your flight into India is confirmed.

What is driving from Delhi to Jaipur like?

There are two road routes, and the choice matters.

The expressway route runs south from Delhi on the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway, then takes the four-lane Bandikui spur into Jaipur. The 66.9 km spur opened on 3 July 2025, and the minister Nitin Gadkari said at the opening that it cuts the drive to about three hours (The Tribune, 3 July 2025). In our experience, plan on 3.5–4.5 hours door to door from south Delhi in normal traffic. The route is access-controlled with few towns, but it has fewer places to stop for food.

The old NH-48 route through Gurgaon, Manesar, Neemrana and Shahpura is about 5–6 hours. It is slower because of trucks and town traffic, but it passes Neemrana, where a 15th-century hill fort, now a heritage hotel, makes a good lunch stop.

Do international visitors self-drive? Very few should. Indian highways are better than their reputation, but trucks drift across lanes, tractors and cattle share the road, and wrong-way vehicles on the shoulder are normal. A car with a professional driver costs little more than a rental, and the driver handles tolls, parking and hotel gates. In December and January, dense fog on the north Indian plains can bring visibility close to zero early in the morning, so start a little later on foggy days.

The car also earns its keep in Jaipur, because the sights are spread out. Amer Fort is about 11 km north of the old city, and Nahargarh sits on the ridge above it. A driver who waits at each one saves you a string of taxi negotiations.

Is flying from Delhi to Jaipur worth it?

Usually not, unless you are connecting from an international flight. Several nonstop flights a day are operated by IndiGo, Air India and Air India Express, with Alliance Air on some days, and the flight takes about an hour (FlightsFrom, checked 23 October 2026). Add the transfer to Delhi airport, check-in at least 75–90 minutes before departure, baggage claim and the roughly 12 km drive from Jaipur’s Sanganer airport into the city, and you are looking at about four hours door to door, the same as the Shatabdi.

The flight makes sense when you land in Delhi from abroad and want to go straight on to Jaipur without a night in Delhi. Keep your bags checked through if the fare allows it, and leave at least three hours between flights.

Should you take the bus from Delhi to Jaipur?

Only if you are on a tight budget and travelling light. Around 300 buses a day run from Delhi to Jaipur, from Sarai Kale Khan, Kashmere Gate, Anand Vihar and other points, and the trip takes 5–6 hours (ixigo, listings for 24 October 2026). Fares start at about ₹289–319 (US$3–3.40) for state-run RSRTC and basic AC seats and go much higher for premium sleepers.

The catch for visitors is getting to and from the bus. Delhi’s interstate bus terminals (ISBTs) are crowded and confusing, and Jaipur drop points such as Sindhi Camp, Durgapura or the 200 Feet Bypass are often a rickshaw ride from heritage hotels in the old city.

Can you do Delhi to Jaipur as a day trip?

You can, but we rarely recommend it. A day trip means 7–9 hours of travel for 5–6 hours in Jaipur, which is enough for Amer Fort and one more sight. Two nights let you see Jaipur properly:

• Day 1: arrive by the morning Shatabdi or car, then the City Palace, Jantar Mantar (a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2010) and Hawa Mahal in the afternoon light.
• Day 2: Amer Fort early, before the heat and the tour buses, then Jaigarh or Nahargarh, the bazaars of the walled city (a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2019) and a sunset view from Nahargarh.
• Day 3: drive on to Agra via Abhaneri stepwell and Fatehpur Sikri, or return to Delhi.

That third day is how most visitors fit Jaipur into a wider trip. Our Golden Triangle tour and two-week India itinerary both run Delhi → Agra → Jaipur → Delhi by private car. If you are heading on into Rajasthan instead, see our Rajasthan tour. And if you will be at the Taj Mahal first, our guide to the Taj Mahal at sunrise covers gates, tickets and the Friday closure.

When is the best time to travel from Delhi to Jaipur?

October to March is the season. Days in Jaipur are warm and dry in October–November and February–March, and cool in December and January, when nights can fall to single figures in Celsius. Fog is the main travel risk in December and January: it delays early trains and slows the roads until mid-morning. From April to June, afternoons are very hot, so plan sightseeing for early morning and late afternoon. July to September brings the monsoon, with greener hills, fewer visitors and occasional heavy downpours.

Frequently asked questions

How far is Jaipur from Delhi?

Jaipur is about 270–280 km south-west of Delhi by road. The air distance is about 233 km. By train it is 4 hours 25 minutes on the 06:10 Ajmer Shatabdi from New Delhi, and by car it is roughly 3.5 to 5 hours depending on the route you take and how long it takes to get out of Delhi.

What is the fastest way from Delhi to Jaipur?

The flight is about one hour in the air, but with airport check-in and transfers it takes 4 hours door to door. The 06:10 Shatabdi (arrives 10:35) or a car on the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway and the Bandikui link road (about 3–3.5 hours of driving once you are clear of Delhi) are just as quick in practice.

Can foreigners book Indian trains online?

Yes. Foreign tourists can register on the IRCTC website with an international mobile number and email, and there is a Foreign Tourist Quota that releases some seats on popular trains. Chair Car (CC) and Executive Chair Car (EC) seats on the Shatabdi and Vande Bharat often sell out in the October–March season, so book as soon as your dates are fixed.

Is a Delhi to Jaipur day trip worth it?

It is possible but tiring. You spend 7–9 hours travelling for 5–6 hours in Jaipur, which is enough for Amer Fort and one more sight in the old city. Most first-time visitors are happier with two nights, which allows Amer Fort in the cool morning, the City Palace, Jantar Mantar and an evening in the bazaars.

Is the Delhi to Jaipur road safe to drive?

The highways are good, but most international visitors should not self-drive: traffic rules are loosely followed, and trucks, tractors, animals and wrong-way vehicles are common. Hiring a car with a professional driver costs little more than a rental and removes the stress. Avoid night driving in December and January, when fog can cut visibility on the plains.

Which Delhi station does the Jaipur train leave from?

It depends on the train. The Ajmer Shatabdi (12015) leaves New Delhi station (NDLS) near Connaught Place at 06:10, the Double Decker (12986) leaves Delhi Sarai Rohilla at 17:25, and the Jodhpur Vande Bharat (26482) leaves Delhi Cantt at 15:10. Check the station on your ticket and allow 45–60 minutes to reach it in morning traffic.